


cat people (putting out the fire)

by princegrantaire



Category: The Libertines
Genre: Comedy, Fluff, M/M, carls terrible but it all works out, pete in kitten pyjamas!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-15 00:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5764315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princegrantaire/pseuds/princegrantaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>carl's apartment catches fire, pete saves him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	cat people (putting out the fire)

**Author's Note:**

> [based on this prompt x](http://promptsgalore.tumblr.com/post/136884491361/write-something-that-includes-the-following-a)

The thing is Carl doesn’t _really_ know how he could have ended up in a situation like this. The carpet is on fire and so is the garish feather boa around his neck, which he’s inadvertently strangling himself with in a dangerously useless attempt at taking it off.

The fire was started by the lit cigarette he’d dropped on the carpet, and aggravated by the vodka (which at the time he’d thought was water) he’d thrown over it.

As for the feather boa, for once his rather bold fashion choices weren’t at fault. It had been thrown at him by Didz, who’d come over earlier to bring Carl some food (an act of kindness which was obviously meant to hide an assassination attempt, Carl was certain of that now) and the boa for some inexplicable reason. He suspects it had been left behind by Didz’s girlfriend, not that it matters much anymore.

Didz isn’t here now though but Carl refuses to blame himself for this and he desperately hopes Didz is arrested for his murder (if it’s ever solved, he thinks a series of events _this_ unlikely might baffle detectives for decades).

He’d probably have more success with the boa if his arm wasn’t broken (and he nearly cries at the thought of the flag he’s using as a sling burning with the rest of him) but alas, there’s nothing he can do now except die with the knowledge that he hasn’t washed his hair in three weeks.

Carl just hopes the rest of the building won’t go down with his apartment. He wouldn’t like to be blamed for that once someone discovers the source of the fire.

He’s suddenly distracted from the fact that that the fire has nearly reached his face by a cold splash of water and someone yelling something at him.

Carl finds himself carried outside by the same person, though he can’t quite figure out who they are, all he’s managed to notice so far is the rather cute kitten pyjamas they’re wearing and the fact that they must have called the fire department (which would explain all the commotion from outside).

He thinks he might pass out any moment now and he swears that’s the only reason he’s clinging to the kitten pyjamas person but he forces himself to glance up. He finds himself looking at a young man with extremely big eyes.

“Aren’t you my upstairs neighbour?” Carl finally asks, because passing out or not he’s afraid he’ll spend the rest of the evening staring into those eyes if one of them doesn’t break the silence.

“Yeah, I’m Peter by the way.”

Peter’s got a lovely smile and Carl suddenly wants to die, a feeling which comes entirely too late considering his earlier situation.

“I’m Carl. So how did you get inside my apartment? I mean, thank you so much for not letting me burn there. I really thought I’d have to haunt Didz forever.”

Peter wisely avoids asking why Carl is friends with someone named _Didz_ and instead starts explaining how Carl’s front door was unlocked and he only entered because he saw the smoke coming from the apartment on his way to the elevator.

—

Carl’s allowed inside his apartment later that night and he’s pleased to find that only half his living room is completely destroyed. All in all it seems like a decent deal, especially if he can somehow get Didz to pay for at least some of the damage.

The tattered remains of the feather boa are still around his neck because Peter claimed the colour was perfect for him but he thinks this is the perfect time to finally take it off.

Carl tucks the boa into a drawer with an almost fond smile and manages to resist the urge to laugh at himself. He somehow tells himself that he’s fond of the fire or something, not of Peter because that would be ridiculous, they’ve only just met.

—

The next morning Carl shows up at Peter’s door with a bouquet of flowers and a thank you note. It took him a bit of guessing (and one failed attempt) to find Peter’s door but he eventually succeeded.

“I hope those aren’t flammable,” says Peter, smiling and welcoming Carl inside.


End file.
